Cotton-compress.



PATENTED PEB. 11, y190.8.

v1ML-878,796.'

J. W. GREGORY. COTTON GOMPRESS. APPLICATION lFILED SEPT. 24, 19.06.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N UNITED sTATEs PATENT onirica.

JOHN W. GREGORY, OF COLDWATER, TENNESSEE, ASlSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MATTIE F. STORY, OF OOLDWATER, TENNESSEE, AND ONE-FOURTH TO JOHN W. YOUNG, JR., OF

ELKTON, TENNESSEE.

COTTON-COMPRESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1908.

Application filed September 24. 1906. Serial No. 335.964.

To all whom 'tima/,y concern:

Be it knownv that I, JOHN W. GREGORY, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Oeldwater, in `the county of Lincoln and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Cotton-Compress, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in cotton compresses.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of cotton compresses, more especially the means for operating the press block or plunger, and to enable the same tobe rapidly operated.

A further object of the invention is to provide plunger operating mechanism adaptedn to be actuated by any suitable means, and capable of being readily thrown into and out of operation. y

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the `claims hereto appended; it being' understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to withlout departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings z-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cotton compress, constructed in ac cordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view. `Eig. 4 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 5 is a'detail plan view partly in section, illustrating the arrangement of the gearing for actuating the slidable rack bars. Fig. 6 is a detail view, illustrating the construction for throwing the gearing into and out of operation.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the ligures of the drawmes.

tl designates the base of the frame of an upright cotton compress. The said base, which may be oi' any suitable construction, is provided with a central longitudinal groove or way 2, and it has transverse supporting sills 3. Rising from the base are vertical standards 4, arranged in pairs and located at oppositew'sides of the center of the base and at points equi-distant at the ends thereof. The upper ends of the standards are con- `and 4 of the drawings.

nected by longitudinal top bars 5, which eX- tend beyond the standards and which are connected with the base by vertical rods 6, spaced from the standards 4. rlhe longitudinal top bars are connected by transverse bars 7, arranged at intervals and forming the top of a press boX 8, and providing intervening grooves 9 to receive the bale ties. The standards are connected at an intermediate point by horizontal side and end bars 10 and 11, and suitable transverse rods 12. The side and end bars are located at the bottom of the press boX 8, and limit the downward movement of the press block or plunger 13, which extends between the standards and which is provided at the outer face thereof with blocks or pieces 14. The blocks or pieces 14, which are arranged vertically, are provided at their side edges with anti-friction rollers or wheels 15, arranged to run on the contiguous outer edges of the vertical standards, and operating in the spaces between the same and the rods 6. The antilriction rollers or wheels 15 are mounted on suitable spindles or pivots, and they reduce to a minimum the `friction incident to a vertical movement of the press block or plunger.

The press block or plunger is connected to and supported by a pair of levers 16, secured by transverse pivots 17 in a groove 18 of the bottom of the press block or plunger. The groove is preferably formed by side pieces, suitably secured to the bottom of the press block or plunger, and arranged at opposite sides of the same, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 The lower ends 19 of the levers are biiurcated, and are connected by suitable pivots 20 with the outer ends of a pair of slidable rack bars 21 and 22. The

pivots 20 also have mounted on them anti- `friction wheels or rollers 23, arranged in pairs and spaced apart to receive the outer ends of the rack bars.

The rack bars are arranged above and below a pinion 24, and the lower rack bar 22 is located at the bottom of the groove or way 2 of the base. The base is provided with opposite longitudinal shoulders or ledges 25, which form tracks for the anti-friction rollers or wheels of the plunger actuating levers 16. The upper rack bar 21 operates between opposite side blocks or pieces 26, which are secured to the base between the lower ends of the standards.

The upper rack bar is re tained in mesh with the pinion by a transverse rod 27, which extends across the space between the side pieces 26 and which pierces the same, as clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. A

The pinion 24, which meshes with the slidable rack bars 21 and 22, is operated by a train of' gears, and is mounted on a'transverse shaft 28, which. carries the inner gear wheel 29 of the train. The gear wheel 29 meshes with a pinion 30 of an intermediate counter-shaft 31, and keyed or otherwise secured to the latter is a gear wheel 32. The gear'wheel 32 meshes with a pinion 33 of an outer transverse power shaft 34. The transverse shafts of the train of gears are journaled at their inner endson the adjacent side block 26, and are supported at their outer ends by a longitudinal bar or beam 35, arranged in spaced relation with the base and mounted on blocks or pieces 36, which are secured to the adjacent 'ends of the transverse bars or sills.

A. friction gear 37 is mounted on the outer end of the outer transverse shaft 34, and it is provided with an inwardly extending rim or flange 38, having an inner face arranged to be engaged by a smaller friction wheel or pinion 39. The friction pinion 39, which is shiftable into and out of engagement with the rim or flange 38 of the wheel 37, is mounted on a transverse shaft 40, and the latter is journaled in suitable bearings of an oscillatory arm 41, and has a pulley 42 at its inner end. The pulley 42 is driven by a suitable belt, and the arm 41, which is adapted to be oscillated by-an operating lever 43, is mounted between one of the standards and the fixed arm or piece 44, which extends upward from the side bar or beam 35. The operating lever 43 is arranged at an inclination, and is fulcrumed nearits lower end on a platform 45. The platform is slotted to receive the lower portion of the operating lever, and a pivot 46 extends across the slot. The lower short arm of the Aoperating lever extends below the platform and is connected by a link 47 with the outer end of the oscillatory arm 4l, and the upper end of the said operating lever 43 is provided with a suitable grip or handle. The platform is arranged at the bottom of the press box, and is provided for the accommodation of the operator, and is adapted to receive the material. It will be seen that by shifting the lever, the gearing is thrown into and out of operation, and that the plunger is rapidly operated to raise it.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In combination with a press box having the vertically disposed standards, and vertically disposed rods spaced from the sides of.

the standards, the press block or plunger extending between the standards, the vertically disposed blocks each secured at an intermediate point lto the press block or plunger and extending above and below the same .and working between the said standards and the said rods, and friction wheels mounted on the said vertically disposed blocks at the ends thereof and located above and below the press block or plunger, and means for moving the press block or plunger vertically.

In testimony, that 1 claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. GREGORY.

Vitnesses:

DAN MGCARMACK, ELnPHUs BEvnLs. 

